Liquid mercury vaporizer



Dec. 19, 1961 H. E. INGERSOLL LIQUID MERCURY VAPORIZER Filed Sept. 9, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

M 8 r 8 m E m w 0 H United States Patent Ofiiice 3,014,115 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,014,115 LIQUID MERCURY VAPORIZER Howard E. Ingersoll, 1710 Moody St., Carson City, Nev. Filed Sept. 9, 1957, Ser. No. 682,903 3 Claims. (Cl. 219-40) This invention relates to the class of engines and more particularly to a mercury vapor drive system.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a drive system which is adapted to employ mercury fuel and which includes means of vaporizing mercury prior to being applied on the blades of a turbine for rotating the turbine.

The concept of this invention features the use of a vaporizing chamber in which electrical energy is applied across electrodes for vaporizing mercury which vaporized mercury is then used to drive the blades of a turbine.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a mercury vapor drive system which employs mercury as a fuel because due to the high resistance of mercury to electricity and its ready ability to volatize at reasonably low temperatures and in the absence of air its relatively non-corrosive action with respect to various metals, the drive system is especially applicable for converting electrical energy to rotary mechanical energy.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become'apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this mercury vaporized system, a preferred arrangement of parts being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of the mercury vapor drive system comprising the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view illustrating the construction of the vaporizing chamber with associated electrodes.

With continuing'reference to the drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral generally designates the mercury vaporized system comprising the present invention which includes a turbine 12 of conventional construction having a vaporized mercury delivery conduit 16 connected thereto and an outlet conduit 18 also connected thereto. A suitable condenser 20 for condensing the mercury vapors to liquid mercury is provided as is a mercury storage receptacle 22 or reservoir. A pump 24 is connected through the reservoir 22 to the condenser 20 and to the inlet 26. The inlet has connected thereto an electrode 28 which is secured in a spherical comparatively strong vaporizing chamber 30. This vaporizing chamber 30 has connected thereto the conduit 16 which is connected to the turbine 12. Another electrode 32 is mounted in the spherical chamber and current is applied across the electrodes through conductors 34 and,

36 which are connected to a suitable source of electrical power such as the battery 38.

The electrode 26 includes a jet 38 through which mercury fuel is delivered under pressure being pumped in by the relatively high pressure pump 24. The end 40 of the electrode 28 is of a conical shape and is adapted to set in the conical recess 42 in the electrode 32 though spaced from the electrode 32. The electrode 32 is adjustably secured in the chamber 30 by having a threaded end portion 46 which is threadedly engaged within the threaded gland 48 thus forming a suitable seal and with the adjustability of the electrode 32 providing means where the space between the electrodes 28 and 32 can be adjusted.

The mercury vapor drive system functions through operation of the pump 24 pumping liquid mrecury to the chamber 30 through the jet 38. The liquid mercury is then vaporized through the action of the electric current applied across the electrodes 28 and 32 with the liquid mercury in the recess 42 being vaporized. The vaporized mercury is delivered to the turbine 12 driving the turbine by impinging on the blades of the turbine and thence passes into the condenser 20 wherein it is converted into liquid mercury and pumped from the reservoir 22 back through the inlet 26.

Thus, the turbine 12 which may be connected to a suitable output shaft provides means which converts energy applied on the pump 24 and across the electrodes 28 and 32 to rotary drive energy.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the inven tion as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a source of conductive fluid, pump means connected to said source for discharging conductive fluid under pressure, vapor generating spherical chamber means having a discharge vapor outlet port, spaced electrode means disposed within said chamber means, unrestricted conduit means connecting said pump means to one of said electrode means for supply thereto of conductive fluid under pressure, passage means disposed in said one of said electrode means for conducting the conductive fluid from the con duit means into the chamber means, electric power means connected to said spaced electrode means for applying a high potential across said electrode means to vaporize the conductive fluid issuing from the restricted flow passage means and deflecting surface means connected to adjacent axial ends of the spaced electrode means for deflecting free flow of mercury directly into the chamber means and defining a relatively small space between the electrode means across which the potential is applied while the flow of the conductive fluid from the restricted passage means is being deflected, said electrode means including elongated cylindrical conductive elements diametrically aligned with respect to the spherical chamber means, said deflecting means including complementary conical surfaces on the adjacent axial ends of the conductive elements, and said outlet port being transversely spaced from the electrode means.

2. The combination of claim 1, including means for adjustably mounting the other of said spaced electrode means in said chamber means for movement toward and away from said one of the electrode means, comprising an opening in said chamber means through which the other of said electrode means extends, a gland supported in said opening for movably supporting the other of said electrode means which projects externally of the chamber means.

a restricted jet flow 3 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said conduclive fluid is mercury.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 727,361 Hill May 5, 1903 891,254 Hill June 23, 1908 1,864,694 Jones May 12, 1931 2,088,932 Stalhane Aug. 3, 1937 4 Kinneen Jan. 3, 1950 Head July 29, 1952 Wood et al Aug. 19, 1952 Eaton Apr. 20, 1954 Bremer May 29, 1956 Eaton Feb. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS France Apr. 5, 1937 

